Working together to increase physical activity in early years is vital to improving children’s overall health and wellbeing’“For the under-fives, being active is very beneficial as it improves brain development, improves self-confidence, supports the development of social skills, enhances bone and muscular development and helps to develop coordinationUK-wide guidelines for physical activity were published for the first time for pre-school children in 2010. These recommend that:

● Children should be encouraged to be active from birth, for example through encouraging kicking during ‘nappy off time’, ‘tummy’ time, parent and baby swim sessions, and reaching for and grasping objects, playing on the floor etc.

● Young children up to five years, = who are able to walk without help, should be involved in active play for at least three hours each day, spread throughout the day. Examples of activities that children enjoy include running, skipping, throwing, kicking and catching balls; dancing, climbing, and riding trikes or bicycles.

We encourage children to participate in regular physical activity, especially in combination with eating a healthy balanced diet.